


The Morning After

by honeybee592



Series: OTP: Brains, Brawn, and Biotics [4]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-17
Updated: 2014-07-17
Packaged: 2018-02-09 07:37:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 712
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1974423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/honeybee592/pseuds/honeybee592
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard, Kaidan, and James wake up in the same bed after the Citadel Party. Coffee ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Morning After

Shepard woke first. Dead arm wedged under some heavy lump, underwire of her bra digging into the side of her boob, one foot cold and sticking out the covers, the other warm and clammy.

She cracked her eyes open, blinking the sleep away. The neck her face was pressed up against wasn’t the same neck she’d fallen asleep against. This one smelled kinda familiar though. A long lost memory of a long lost lover hovered in the fog of her mind. This neck had hair tickling her cheek. And an amp jack. Heat flashed through her as realisation dawned.

Yanking herself free, she jerked her arm out from under Kaidan, twisting uncomfortably to loosen her booted foot from, oh no, between Vega’s legs. Swallowing hard—and cringing on taste of her dry, booze encrusted mouth—she glanced under the covers. Okay. It’s okay. They’re all fully clothed. And she’s even still wearing one boot. Okay. Good.

*

Kaidan rolled over, threw his arm out and flexed his fingers over the body next to him, stroking rumpled fabric that felt a lot like soft armour weave. His guts curled when he remembered whose bed he’d stumbled into last night. He blinked slowly, his smooth brow wrinkling as Shepard came into focus, staring down at him, face inscrutable. He drew his arm back, thinking if he did it slowly enough she wouldn’t notice that it had been there in the first place.

“Um. Good morning Commander,” he rasped. He swallowed hard, dry tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth.

“Major,” came the neutral reply.

“There weren’t any spare beds,” he explained. “I hope I haven’t overstepped the line, ma’am.”

Shepard opened and closed her mouth, seemingly lost. One of them had to break the tension. And since he’d been the last to bed, it fell to him.

“Just like old times, eh?” He offered, smiling softly. She raised an eyebrow then glanced behind her. Right, yeah. They weren’t alone. He chuckled. Shepard and her Lieutenants. “Well. Maybe not quite like—”

*

James rolled onto his back, sucking in a noseful of air, rubbing the heels of his palms hard into his eyes. Holy hell, he hadn’t felt this rough since, shit, ever. He elbowed someone and felt the mattress dip away from him. Oh yeah. This wasn’t his bed. He wasn’t surprised when he blinked and saw Shepard staring down at him. What did surprise him was the absolutely gorgeous man with tousled dark hair and a stubble-covered jaw peeking over her shoulder. And those eyes. They looked familiar… He stiffened, realisation hitting him.

“Uh, morning Major. Nice of you to join us.” Oh man, his throat felt like he’d been drinking gravel martinis all night.

When neither of them said anything, he continued, “you guys need coffee. I can tell. I sure as hell need one.” He hauled himself upright, ignoring the protests of his brain thumping against his skull, then made it to standing, swaying only slightly. “Gotta look after my geriatric superiors, after all,” he added, cracking his neck and padding out the room.

Shepard and Kaidan said nothing during James’ absence. They just sat up in bed, clutching their heads, elbows bumping, arms brushing, the sheets hauled up under their chins.

*

James returned with three mugs. He set one down on the bedside table, carefully handed two over, brushing his fingers against Shepard’s, then Kaidan’s. He received mumbled thanks for his heroic efforts. Gingerly, he climbed back onto the bed and leaned back, mug in hand, slurping his coffee and smacking his lips in satisfaction. Damn good coffee, even if he did say so himself.

Shepard and Kaidan glanced at each other after tentative sips. James’d made their coffees just the way they liked them: Shepard’s strong, sweet, and milky. Kaidan’s strong, bitter, and black. How’d he managed that, given that he’d never, ever, made either of them coffee before?

“Good coffee, Lieutenant,” Kaidan said, keeping his tone neutral. “Thanks.”

“Second that.” Shepard added.

James grinned, a pang of pride hitting him in the chest. “Aw, thanks. Just you wait ‘till I’ve cooked you breakfast. You won’t be able to live without me.”

“I think you’ve already earned your place,” Shepard nudged him.

“Second that,” Kaidan agreed, grinning into his mug.


End file.
